St. Landry democrat., 1887-06-11
The Governors orgauat BATON Roupt

That 1t not only galbles what we sai(
but beaten completely out of the field O
argument it turns loose upon this pa
per column of abuse, and winds u
with glowing euloSy upon itself. TIL
Advocates ranting does not in tn
least dlstnrb our equanimity; OH TIN
contrary, they amuse us. The organ ant
the administration behind it, are hurt
The two or three direct thrusts which
we nave given it recently, have put tn,
administration completely on the de
fenslve, a position i'm which it shoult
be constantly kept until it is driver
out of power.
Now, II word or two illustrating the
extremity to which the Advocate is
driven it says:
The st. Landry Democrat. Il paper that
makes II business, year III and year out, I,
assall the Democratic administration OF GOV
McEnery, III It recent editorial, charges that
GOV McEncrS had shown himself Ian enemy
to the people" by refusing TO sign bill re-
pealing the clause in the election law reUnirjn.r
the ballots to'be printed upon paper Of nm
FORM SIZE and quality to be obtained from TIL.
Secretary OF state" For this statement, -
the Democrat said, we can give excellent
authority"
Here is what we said
The Governor refused t. sign the
act. Some of his personal and political
friends were surprised. Senator Geo.
A. Kelley of Vim, one of the Cover
nor's supporters, made strong personal
appeal To him to sign it. He refused,
saying the law as it stood was good
enough. For this latter statement we
can give excellent authority"
The Advocate by changing the COLO
cation of our words not only garbles
and misstates what we said, but it is
trying to dodge an issue that we do not
intend to let pass. The quotation from
our editorial correctly given above,
shows plainly enough what statement
we said we could establish by excel
lent authority. 1t was the Governors
declaration to Senator Kelley: the lar
is good enough as 1t stands. That is the
immediate issue between the Advocate
and this paper. We repeated the state
ment in our last issue and called at
tention to the fact that the Advocate
had not denied it.
1t copies from that article and strives
TO answer it, but again ignores our
statement. We challenge it to deny
that statement; it it does, our ex-
cellent authority will he promptly
given. What becomes then of the alb
surd statement, that the Governor re-
fused to approve Senator kelley's bill
because it did not go far eHoughs r..
How does this defense, put up by the .
Advocate, agree with the Governors .
,wn words to Senator Kelley: the lar
8 good enOugh?
The time has passed when law can
Ne defended by the argument that it
vas adopted by the Democratic eau
U.S." Too many outrageous things
ave been done of late years through
he covert channel of caucus This
cry election laW is sample; law
owever which may we'll receive the
Of the Governor, in as
luch as it takes oat OF the hands of
he people all supervisory control of
ne election machinery, and places it
|, his hands, The law enacted by the
ichoIls administration made the
leriff, an officer elected by the peo-
Ie and living Immediately among
lem. returning officer. The law which
as passed under the present regime
I'd whicfs ftae present governor thinks
nod enough, takes that function away {
ON the officer chosen by the people, {
Id gives it to a returning officer select
apd appointed by the Governor
mseaf. The present law again,
kes away from the police juries; the I
mediate representatives of the peo- I
e, the authority formerly vested in
EN-, to appoint the commissioners of L
cotton, and gives that authority to the T
turning officer the GoyerDSF's APP
intee. Will the Advocate tell us
Nv that was doae2 Under cover of u
9 present law, tlese same appointees u
the Governor not only appoint the :
OF election but fix the |
ling places also. These vital parts L
the election machinery are now u
aced under the control of the II
,yernor or that of his Appendices,
Itch under the system of personalisD a
ablished by McEnery. is practically .,
, same thing. OF course, his excel G.
,cy thinks the law good enough.
t is lust the sort of law aeeded tor
sorts OF political emergencies. local
general. The pretext that such a a
: was necessary to keep down re- NJ
biiean asccndeBcy is too shallow to "
Give eredence. 1t can be used Just &c
effectively against democrats, and fife tt
,e is near at hand when it will r,
shabby he tested whether the Cover y y
q refusal to allow tbe law to be il,
ended uas in the intesast ct the bt
,ple or in the interest of luis personal al
owing and faction. *
light here, we can 5ustly contrast the I NJ
t1sods aud policy of the Nichols adj
,istfatien with that of McEnery.